The Marshal's Justice. Delores Fossen

“We won’t be here long. I’ll arrange for a safe house. Not through the marshals just in case Deanne was right about an informant. And we won’t go to the ranch house or my place, either, just in case there are cameras set up.”

      Good. Chase’s house was at the far edge of the ranch property, and with the threat of the cameras, she’d figured going there was out. However, she was glad he’d dismissed taking her to his family’s home on the ranch. For one thing, it might not be safe there, either, and for another, she didn’t want to have to face the rest of his family just yet.

      Chase didn’t pull into the parking lot. He stopped directly in front of the door of the sheriff’s office and glanced around. Since it was only about six-thirty, there were still people out and about, and there were diners in the café across the street. Chase studied each one of them and made another call.

      “Come to the front door,” Chase said.

      A moment later, Deputy Mack Parkman appeared in the doorway of the office. He was sporting a very concerned look, no doubt because he’d gotten updates from Jericho and knew they had a murder on their hands.

      Mack’s look of concern went up considerably when he saw the baby. Obviously, he’d known she was pregnant with Chase’s child. Everyone in town knew. But like Chase, Mack hadn’t known that she’d delivered.

      “Don’t bring in the infant seat,” Chase warned her. He drew his gun and stepped out. “It could have a tracking device on it. Just take the baby and get out on the side near Mack. Once we’re inside we can dispose of anything the baby’s wearing in case it’s bugged, too.”

      She hadn’t even considered something like that, but thankfully Chase had. April eased the baby into her arms, bundling her in the blanket, and as Chase had instructed, she hurried inside. Chase followed, but they didn’t stay in the reception area. He rushed her toward the hall and into Jericho’s office.

      “Jericho will be here any minute with the prisoner,” Mack told them. “The ME is on the way to the woods for the bodies.”

      “Jax is on his way, too,” Chase said. “He was right behind us and he’ll have a prisoner with him, as well.”

      Mack nodded. “What do you need me to do?”

      “We need baby supplies. Formula, bottles, clothes and a blanket. Have one of the clerks from the drugstore bring whatever they have. Also, the car outside and everything in it should be processed. I doubt there’ll be anything inside to link it to Crossman, but we might get lucky.”

      “Crossman?” Mack’s concern went up yet another notch. He belted out some profanity under his breath, then blushed when he glanced at the baby. “Sorry.”

      She waved off the apology because it wasn’t necessary. Crossman was a killer. Worse, a cop killer.

      And it was that murder that had put some blood on April’s hands.

      Mack stepped away, undoubtedly to take care of getting the CSIs out to examine the car and arrange for those supplies. Leaving Chase and her alone with the baby. The first moments they’d been together alone with Bailey.

      Chase walked closer, staring down at her, and he touched his finger to Bailey’s cheek. Bailey was half-asleep, but that got her attention, and she turned her head, studying Chase as hard as he was studying her.

      The corner of Bailey’s mouth lifted, and even though April figured it wasn’t a real smile, it still had a powerful effect. Chase groaned, the impact of fatherhood no doubt hitting him hard. And hitting him in the exact same way it’d hit April. Because he smiled, too.

      A rarity.

      Chase Crockett wasn’t exactly the smiling type—especially since things had fallen apart between them. Too bad because that smile stirred the too familiar heat inside April.

      Heat she pushed aside again.

      That was something she always had to do around Chase. Because he’d spent the past two years trying to put her brother behind bars, April and Chase had never dated. But that hadn’t stopped them from landing in bed together. For one glorious night, Chase had been hers for the taking, but then his friend had been murdered. Crossman—and Quentin—had been implicated in that. And anything she’d ever hoped to have with Chase had vanished in the blink of an eye.

      Well, everything except Bailey.

      That would give them a connection that she was certain Chase would rather have with someone else. Anyone else.

      “Check her for tracking devices,” Chase prompted.

      April hurried to do that, causing Bailey to fuss, but thankfully she didn’t see anything on her gown, blanket or diaper. That was something at least.

      She heard the front door open, and Chase stepped back into the hall. Even though she couldn’t see who’d come in, she did notice the alarm on Chase’s face.

      “What’s wrong?” Chase immediately asked.

      April hurried to the door and looked out to see Jericho. He had the gunman in cuffs and handed him off to Mack, but his attention stayed on Chase.

      “We’ve got trouble,” Jericho answered. “Jax was attacked on the road. He’s okay, but the woman he was bringing in just escaped.”